Palin: Defense cuts are 'a sign of weakness'
(CNN) - In her strongest public remarks to date on the matter, Sarah Palin admonished the Obama adminstration on Saturday for proposing cuts to Alaska's missile defense network, a move she said would leave her state and the rest of the country vulnerable in the case of a future attack.
The administration cuts, which were announced by Secretary of Defense Robert Gates in April and would be enacted in the next fiscal year, would trim $1.2 billion from the Pentagon's missile defense programs. The expansion of a missile field in Fort Greely, Alaska would be halted under the proposed budget.
"Reducing Alaska's defense readiness in these perilous times is a show of weakness, it is not a sign of strength," Palin said during a celebration in upstate New York honoring native son William Seward, who negotiated the purchase of Alaska in 1867 as Secretary of State. Video of the speech was posted by the Web site "Conservatives4Palin."
Palin said Alaska's missile defense system is now more vital than ever, particularly in the wake of North Korea's recent nuclear and missile tests. She said a missile fired from North Korea could easily reach Alaska and other parts of the country.
"And yet, Washington thinks it's best now to actually cut defense spending in Alaska by hundreds of millions of dollars," she said. "Now that is an odd priority there."
Palin said she will "argue with every ounce of my being for Washington to pay attention."
"That is not always easy, but it is right," she said. "It is clear to many that some of our priorities as a nation are kind of reversed, and it is my imperative, and it should be all of our imperative, that we get our government priorities right, because if they are misdirected, obviously America is going turn into something that we don't recognize."
At another moment during her speech, the former vice presidential candidate got a cheer from the crowd by repeating a line of attack that was frequently used against Obama during last year's presidential campaign.
Palin explained that Alaskans believe in "the roots of our country, so deep, so strong."
"They're what we need to cling to," she said. "Clinging to, you know, that includes our clinging to our second amendment rights, and our faith in God. Many of us do cling to that strong faith in God."
From CNN Politics
- A timeline of Trump promises and predictions on coronavirus -- and how they stack up against the facts April 5, 2020 07:08 pm
- 'I'm very, very worried': Laid-off workers struggle with no social safety net April 5, 2020 12:08 pm
- Analysis: Trump's coronavirus mismanagement again undercuts his CEO image April 5, 2020 01:31 pm
- Governors step into national spotlight as they combat coronavirus April 5, 2020 08:17 pm
- Analysis: How job losses could affect Trump and the 2020 election April 5, 2020 06:01 pm
- Analysis: Trump's popularity bump may have already plateaued ahead of schedule April 5, 2020 12:30 pm
What a dunce little marshmallow she is. You saw Putin from your back yard again? Don't mess with Robert Gates. You made us loose the election once. You won't do it again. Now go back to your Igloo and stay there.
Somebody has to say it, and for it to be a smart and gutsy woman, says a lot about her and how Obama is ruining this country.
"She said a missile fired from North Korea could easily reach Alaska and other parts of the country." Really? Last I heard their missile barely cleared Japan. Sarah, you will never be President – and I thank God for that.
I agree with Palin. Talk is cheap. Obama seems to think the world leaders are kids that can be appeased with candy. Not a smart tactic.
I will never forgive McCain for giving this "boil" notoriety. I have never seen anyone so enamored with the sound of their own voice. She is like fingernails on a blackboard.
While I think Palin is often misunderstood, I have to agree with her on this point. Hostile countries are developing nuclear ICBM missiles and we are cutting missle defense? Maybe not the right sector to pull money from.
While some dems may argue the "shoot first ask later" mentality, the purpose of the missile defense systems is actually to intercept and destroy ICBM missiles.
Please Republicans, run this hero of America for President 2012 so it will be guaranteed another term for Obama. Hey, Palin, Russia is not the enemy anymore. The enemy is the greed of the oil companies and their Arab cohorts.
Well, shouldn't she be worried about Russia? Since she can see Russia from her front yard and all. She needs to sit down and shut up. Nobody cares what the Gov. of Alaska has to say.
Why doesn't she use all that money that was given to her for the bridge to nowhere that she never returned to help fund it.....
Let's do the math. Last November Palin found out that her party didn't have enough people to win. Since then,that number has gone down to 20%. Palin caused the landslide that killed them last fall. WOMEN voted against her in droves. Please run sarah run. It will take two terms for President Obama to fix the mess left by the wackjob GOP.
To all of the people that think this "cut" is putting us in grave danger.
Have you forgotten how many missles we already have in Alaska? The conservatives are great at using semantics for their less educated base. The budget was cut by 30%. So instead of getting 45 planes for the defense grid, I believe they got 30. Think 30 will still help defend the border in the event NK decides to get frisky(fat chance they do)
As far as NK is concerned, can a country who can barely produce electricity or food for it's people be a threat to the US. Thats a rhetorical question.
Alaska is likely to be low on the list for attacks by enemies.
If Sarah Palin is going to be an American leader she really needs to show more special ability. Maybe like sponsoring projects that are
beneficial to all Americans and that require much more expertise than she is showing now. She shows us now that she is mostly a negative, critical person, who presumably knows more than the average American. .
Oh no! Russia has been waiting for it's time to strike Alaska, and now thanks to Obama they have it, it's only a matter of time now...
Palin is just another white-trash redneck who never should have reached the position of power she is in.
She AND her supporters need to face the fact they are pathetically out of
touch with reality and, in fact, THEY are a bigger threat to our country's safety, security and standing in the world than any outside force.
it is amazing to me that the Republican party says it is the fiscally responsible party, but when one of their own says that the military is spending money on equipment that was not going to be useful in todays type of wars, or has not ever been proven to actually work for what they are suposed to be being built for, they think that money should be spent anyway. Obama actually increased the military budget. He and his defense sectretary, Robert Gates, a well respected Republican, are just trying to bring the military into the 21st century, while the Republican party just wants to continue to fight the wars of the 20th century.
She's hot and about as sharp as a bowling ball. She'd make the perfect girlfriend.
I do declare I see a coincidence here. Create an enemy "out there", build up a sense of urgency way out of proportion to the actual threat, and then get the government to spend billions in your state to make it seem as though you are protecting the American people and the "American Way." I'm just a little skeptical.
Sarah Palin needs to stay in Alaska and keep her mouth shut ,she has to be one most ignorant people on this planet.
There we go again. Scare tactics all over again. I’m just sick and tired of your right wing, backward religious, and God fearing ideology. Your kinds have roamed the earth by forgeries created by your own breed; a bunch of shrewd, power-monger, conniving, calculating and controlling ignorant . And unfortunately thousands of years later you still have too many naive audiences. Sara why don’t you stick with your witch pastor and have him takes the demons out of you, your family, and the rest of those morons religious republican. We have enough of you.
So the woman who can see Russia from her house and thinks Putin flies into Alaska to spread his Evil Ways is giving advice about Defense and Security?
As the kids say
LOL
Yea, heaven forbid that we spend that money on helping the unemployed, the 50 million people who can't afford health insurance, those thousands who are losing their homes daily, on our failing educational system, and our outdated infrastructure. No, we should be spending money so that we can bomb other people so that they have the same problems we're having now.
Yep, that's garbage alright.
'a sign of weakness'. Apparently if there's anything showing a sign of weakness, it's some in the GOP who are letting Rush, Newt, Cheney, Romney and Palin define what is wrong with their party with virtually everything that comes out of their mouths.
The greatest danger to the US is the institutionalized corruption, incompetence and ignorance within the US, and all the subsequent power structures, warped personalities, vested interests, decisions and trends that follow. Sarah Palin opening her mouth only makes the US more vulnerable on the long slope DOWN for the country in need of oxygen and enlightenment.
Alright, who gave the mayor of CandyLand the microphone?
When Our Wimp In Chief is running around over the world apologizing to everyone who will listen, including the valet parking attendents and busboys, we are getting weaker. Then to talk cutting our defenses in a world with crazies like South Korea and Iran running loose is sheer stupidity. Sarah is right.